ricin

American  

[rahy-sin, ris-in] / ˈraɪ sɪn, ˈrɪs ɪn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, poisonous, protein powder from the bean of the castor-oil plant.

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ricin British  

/ ˈrɪs-, ˈraɪsɪn /

noun

1. biochem a highly toxic protein, a lectin, derived from castor-oil seeds: used in experimental cancer therapy

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ricin Scientific  

/ rī′sĭn,rĭs′ĭn /

1. An extremely poisonous protein extracted from the castor bean. Ricin inhibits protein synthesis in cells, and is used as a biochemical reagent and in cancer research.

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Etymology

Origin of ricin

1895–1900; < New Latin Ricinus name of genus, Latin: castor-oil plant

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ricin

Tests at Porton Down, the government's biological warfare laboratory, confirmed the substance was ricin, a poison for which there is no antidote.

From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2025

Castor plants are banned in the U.S. because they also produce ricin, a dangerous poison.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 30, 2024

Arsenic, ricin and the toxin responsible for botulism are also 100% natural, but can be highly toxic to humans.

From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2023

But it was unlikely that the chalk used to etch a polite message of protest outside her Bangor home on Saturday—urging her to vote for the Women’s Health Protection Act—was tainted with ricin.

From Slate ● May 14, 2022

That day The chemical analysis was finished, showed No ricin and no poison.

From Domesday Book by Masters, Edgar Lee